


Baptism by Fire

by rivlee



Series: Gone Are All The Days: D.C.-Metro Tales [18]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Meet the Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-07
Updated: 2013-06-07
Packaged: 2017-12-14 05:43:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/833418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivlee/pseuds/rivlee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nasir and Agron's first date wasn't exactly what anyone would call successful. Part of the <i>Gone Are All the Days</i> 'verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baptism by Fire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ciel_vert](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ciel_vert/gifts).



> For Chewwbecca who requested _The family brunch/first date from Metzgers-verse_ for a time stamp meme. Unbetaed.

There was a river of orange juice making its way down the table as Nasir Karimi looked back at the four pair of eyes staring at him as if he was a ghost. Agron Metzger’s hands were warm on Nasir’s back, resting low with more familiarity than they should have for what was honestly their first date. He knew this date had disaster written all over it, what with two actively serving gay men even attempting to date with all the risk hanging over them, but Agron had been convincing and Nasir wasn’t self-deluded enough to say he didn’t want to try. 

“Best place to get brunch in three counties, really?” Nasir asked. 

A strangled noise escaped Agron’s throat. “I admit the service is below par today.” He moved his hands to Nasir’s shoulders and gripped them. “Savor this moment, Nasir. Never will you see the Metzger family so silent again.”

Nasir had done his own research on Agron, after finding out that Agron had basically hacked Navy personnel files for Nasir’s e-mail address. That should’ve been the first sign that this would end in disaster. Well, no, the IED explosion that caused their first meeting was the initial sign. That was followed by Agron being an idiot and winding up in sick bay for what would’ve been an easily treatable injury for anyone not a stubborn ass Navy SEAL. Dagan made him promise to do a full background check before he agreed to a date with Agron, so Nasir knew about the people currently looking at him with slack-jaws. Agron’s parents, and his siblings, were in front of him. On their first date. Only Agron. Nasir feared he’d be feeling this sort of blissful resignation for months to come.

“We should really probably clean that juice up before it hits the carpet. You’ll lose your security deposit, and I think Mira might finish what the IED started,” he said.

Agron laughed; the sound enough to break the slight tension filling the apartment. 

“He’s sensible,” an older man with sandy-blonde hair and green eyes said. Conrad Metzger, the father, and Admiral if they were standing on ceremony. Somehow Nasir felt that no one was addressing the fact that Conrad was present for his gay son’s first date with a fellow Navy recruit, and that the breakfast nook was apparently a magical land where Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ceased to exist.

“Fuck that, he’s _real_ ,” a younger, dark haired-and-eyed man said. Duro Metzger, middle sibling in all ways according to his psych evals. He was a Marine, Recon, and a damn successful one in terms of missions completed. 

“Language,” the mother, Mina Klaas Metzger, ordered. She supposedly worked as a civilian, but no one was that deep in the CIA without some nasty secrets to hide.

The youngest, Saxa, a newly minted Fighter Pilot, remained quiet. The feral glint in her eyes made Nasir thinks she was sizing him up, but something told him that was just a default expression. She seemed bored by this, honestly.

The orange juice was still progressing toward the table edge. 

“Seriously, Agron, let go. I will not shoulder the half-blame for your _white_ carpet turning yellow-orange. I don’t want to have to live with the possible legacy of the absolutely tasteful jokes your fellow SEAL team will make.” Some stench made him wrinkle his nose and he looked up at Agron. “I think something’s burning, too.” 

Agron and Duro both scrambled for the kitchen wherein the stove apparently bore testimonial of a grease fire and the two brothers, a sibling war if the arguing was to be correctly deciphered.

“What the hell happened?” Duro asked.

“I don’t know, maybe you should _recon_ it. That’s what you fuckers do. You blow shit up. Last time I trust you in my kitchen.”

“Oh, I’m _so fucking sorry_. Why don’t we just send one of your strike forces in from the air to kill it with snipers? Oh wait, my team can do that anyway.” 

“I will fucking chop your hand off with this meat cleaver.”

“Mom, Agron’s threatening me with unnecessary bodily harm again.” 

Saxa raised her eyebrows at her parents. “Told ya.”

Mina nodded. “Yes, you were right.” She walked over to Nasir and held out her hand. “I’m so glad to finally meet you. You’ve saved Agron’s life twice already, and it seems like you’ll be doing it over and over again for the rest of it.”

“I…uh…we’ll see,” Nasir said as he took her hand. 

She patted Nasir’s cheek with her other one. “Oh, you’ve already been lost to us, son. Just embrace it. It’s how the Metzgers work.”

“Regulations,” Nasir sputtered out.

“Bullshit,” Saxa helpfully answered. 

Nasir’s eyes strayed to the Admiral, who looked like he had tears in his eyes. “I just never thought he’d find someone so perfect for him,” Conrad said.

“This is our first date,” Nasir felt compelled to point out. “And there’s a fire.”

“Yes, darling, we know,” Mina said. 

Nasir felt helpless then, even more so when Agron came out of the kitchen with his button-down shirt half-covered in ketchup and a huge grin on his face. “I think we’ve saved the hash.”

Saxa checked her watch. “I made reservations for us at The Original Pancake House. We should leave now if we want to be on time.”

Duro’s head appeared over his brother’s shoulder. “Are you disrespecting our culinary artistic skills?”

Saxa shook her head. “I’m trying to salvage Agron’s chances of keeping Nasir around.”

“I’m right here,” Nasir said.

Agron looked like a kick puppy. “You’re leaving?”

“I never said that,” Nasir argued. “I couldn’t if I wanted to since your mother has a death grip on my hand.” He grimaced. “I did not mean to say that where anyone could hear me.”

“Oh, you’ll fit right in,” Duro said. He pushed past Agron and wrapped his arm around Nasir’s waist. “I got dibs on the seat next to you.”

“Personal space,” Nasir said.

“You’ll get used to it,” Duro promised. He started to go towards the door. “Everyone fall out!”

“Orange juice still on the table,” Nasir said. 

Agron lobbed a roll of paper towels at his father who caught it easily and started mopping the mess up. “I never did like pulp,” Conrad confessed. 

“I hand squeezed that,” Duro yelled. He rattled his keys. “Leave it. We need to give Donar something to do when he gets back from his run. I will start quoting _Stripes_ with re-enactments,” he threatened. 

The apartment looked like a disaster area, even more so with four out of five Metzgers absent. Nasir lifted his head to meet Agron’s worried face. His bottom lip was between his teeth as he fidgeted with his hands.

“Is this your normal?” Nasir asked. 

Agron didn’t try and deny it. He just nodded. “They’re my family. I kind of love them.”

“I have a feeling you are all the human embodiment of _and then something terrible happened_.” Agron looked proud at that, and Nasir couldn’t fight it. He pinched his brow. “At least it’ll never be boring.” He walked over to Agron and smoothed down that worried lip. “Whoever told you that Meet the Family was a great First Date Idea should be shot though.”

“I figured I’d go with baptism by fire,” Agron said.

Nasir snorted as he watched the remnants of smoke dissipate in the air. He took Agron’s hand in his own. “Come on. I don’t want to see what happens if they think we’re not following orders. I have a feeling tear gas might be involved.”

“Smoke bombs first,” Agron said, completely serious. 

Nasir laughed then, fingers intertwined with Agron’s own, and he stretched up to kiss Agron's cheek. The rough stubble scratched against his skin, and Agron’s aftershave was an overwhelming scent that close, but it all felt familiar. Nasir should’ve been making a break for it, but hell, this was the most fun he’d had in years.


End file.
